Cushion pad for shoe counters



March 7, 1933. I HANDLER 1,900,107-

CUSHION PAD FOR SHOE COUNTERS Filed Dec. 10, '1931 INVENTOR HLJ landI/er BY Q 2 $1.3m

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES HARRIS L.'I-IA.NDLER, 'OF VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA- CUSHION PAD FOR SHOE COUNTERS.

Application filed December 10,1931. Serial No. 580,028.

This invention relates to shoe attachments, my principal object being to provide a cushion pad device, adapted to be mounted in a shoe in the counter, and arranged not only to cushion the back of the heel of the wearer against direct contact with the unyielding shoe is a frequent occurrence .WlllCll alsocauses blisters and wears holes in the stocking as well as in the heel lining of the shoe.

My improved pad having both cushioning and non-slip properties aids materially in promoting the comfort of the wearer, particularly when breaking in new shoes; tho it is in fact of service in preventing possible friction and slipping of the foot throughout the life of the shoe.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective of a shoe looking toward the heel and showing my cushion pad in place.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the counter of the shoe and the pad taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pad detached.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the numeral 1 denotes the counter portion of a shoe having the usual lining 2 on'the inside. The attachment comprises a flexible cushion pad 3 adapted to be fitted between the and along the sides to a certain extent.

counter and its lining. This pad is of a height to extend practically from top to bottom of the counter and having a length sufficient to extend about the back of the heel The pad. is made of sponge rubber or any other suitable material having similar properties. 'It is preferably formed with rounded corners and tapers to a feather edge all around'the periphery. In this manner the pad may be relatively thick at the center so as to have the necessary cushioning properties, but will not cause the lining to bulge inwardly in the plane of the edge of the pad.

Projecting forwardly from the pad and formed integral therewith are horizontally spaced discs 4 having depressions 5 centrally located in their faces so as toform cup shaped elements. The discs from adjacent the surface of the pad are but little thicker than the 7 lining 2, through which they project as shown in Fig. 1. The discs are therefore exposed to the stocking or sock of the wearer without pressing unduly into the heel.

The pads are preferably installed in the shoe during their manufacture, being placed in position before the lining is applied and are cemented to the counter or sewed in connection with the lining when the latter is installed. The pads can also of course be 0 mounted in shoes already made, by separating the lining from the counter temporarily and cutting holes through the same for the projection of the discs. The device is not primarily intended to be so used however but to be built into the shoes as above stated.

By reason of the pads it will be seen that the heels of the wearer are cushioned and protected against undesirable and bruise-forming contact with the hard counter. As the wearer walks and bends his foot to rest on the ball of the foot, it is at this time that the heel tends to slip. With the use of my cup elements 56 however such slippage is avoided. As the foot is bent this'brings the counter closer toward the heel so that the cup members press against the heel and the flesh yields under the pressure of the cup rims 6 and the part of the heel adjacent the cupped out portion 5 fills into the same, forming a sort of a lock between the heel and cup, thus preventing relative slipping of the heel in the counter. This function is further facilitated by the fact'that the rims 6 are preferably roughened as disclosed in the drawing to prevent a frictional resistance against slipping movement of the heel.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a de- 10 vice as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such details may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure 0 by Letters Patent is:

A pad for shoe heels comprising the combination with a shoe counter and lining therefor, of a resilient pad interposed between the lining and the counter, such pad being relatively thick in the center and tapering thence to a feather edge about the periphery of the pad, and a pair of projecting cup shaped elements on the pad one on each side of the vertical center line of the counter do and projecting through the lining.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARRIS L. HANDLER. 

